Titans Review: Jayasurya's Ambitious Malayalam Caper

Antony Yakuza and his roommate Anwar are small-timers chasing the one thing that has always eluded them: respect. When a final score presents itself in Fort Kochi, they convince themselves this is the job that changes everything. Their getaway driver, Rejimon, seems like a reliable piece of the puzzle, but he carries an agenda of his own. What begins as a straightforward heist spirals into something far stranger, pulling the trio through crime, mystery and, eventually, fantasy.

Prince Joy’s screenplay treats Fort Kochi as more than a backdrop; the place is a character in its own right, all salt air, old walls and secrets. The crime spine of the story is sturdy enough, and the early scenes establish the desperation of men who have run out of second chances. But the film’s pivot into fantasy territory is where the narrative takes its biggest gamble. That leap does not fully land. The mystery elements keep you leaning forward, yet the fantasy elements often feel grafted on rather than grown organically from the story’s roots.

The film’s greatest asset is its ensemble. Jayasurya plays Antony Yakuza with a mix of swagger and quiet humiliation that makes the character immediately watchable; he is a man who has convinced himself he is one big break away from greatness. Vinayakan, as Rejimon, is the film’s secret weapon. His screen presence has always carried a hint of menace, and here he weaponizes it, keeping the audience guessing about his true intentions right up to the end. Adam Sabiq and Baby Jean as Peter contribute solid support, while the presence of Bhagath Manuel, Sunny Wayne, Indrans and Manikandan Achari gives the film a depth of familiar faces that Malayalam audiences will appreciate.

Technically, Titans has texture. The Fort Kochi locations are shot with affection, and the film’s sound design leans into the streets’ ambient chaos. Prince Joy has an eye for staging, and the comic beats, when they work, land with a satisfying snap. But the film’s central problem is tonal control. Crime and comedy can be natural bedfellows; crime and fantasy demand a more careful hand. Here, the fantasy arrives late and asks the audience to accept a new set of rules without enough groundwork, and the comedy sometimes undercuts moments that should carry real weight.

At 122 minutes, the film also feels padded in its middle stretch, where the momentum of the heist gives way to meandering detours. There is a version of Titans that runs leaner and hits harder. Still, the film is never boring. Its ambition is visible in every frame, and even when it overreaches, there is something admirable about a filmmaker swinging for the fences rather than playing it safe. The chemistry between Jayasurya and Vinayakan is the engine that keeps the whole thing moving, and their scenes together are the ones you will remember walking out of the theatre.

Pros

• Jayasurya delivers a committed, charismatic lead performance
• Vinayakan is magnetic as the slippery Rejimon
• Fort Kochi is captured with real atmosphere and affection
• The comic beats are sharp when they land
• A strong supporting cast adds depth to the world

Cons

• The fantasy element feels underdeveloped and jarring
• Tonal shifts between comedy, crime and fantasy are uneven
• The middle act drags and loses momentum
• The finale rushes to resolve threads it spent too long setting up

Titans is a film that aims high and lands somewhere in the middle, which is frustrating because its best moments suggest it could have been something special. Jayasurya and Vinayakan make it worth the watch, and Prince Joy’s eye for place and mood keeps it engaging even when the script falters. If you go in expecting a perfectly calibrated genre hybrid, you may leave disappointed. Go in expecting a messy, energetic caper with a couple of standout performances, and you will find plenty to enjoy. For a film about men chasing respect, Titans has earned at least a measure of it.